Closure device for containers subjected to high internal pressures



O i United States Patent [1 13,537,611

[72] Inventor Heinz Lohre ngel I [56] References Cited 1 w gs Germ"!UNITED STATES PATENTS g y 1969 3,315,836 4/1967 Boon 220/46 PatentedNov. 3,1970 3,386,612 6ll 968 Krrkwood et al. 220/44 [73] AssigneeFriedrich Uhde Gmbil Primary Examiner-George T. Hall Dortmund, GermanyAttorney-Malcolm W. Fraser a corporation of Germany 32 P 'or't Feb. 81968 t t n I y c ABSTRACT: A safety closure for containers subjected tohigh [31] p 1,675,350 i internal pressures and of particular use for theisostatic 1 method of shaping pulverulent materials. The closure plug,having an enlarged central recess, fits into the container and i bymeans of cams on the closure plug and tappets on the conl tainer, abayonet type connection is provided, the container wall at the upper endbeing extended outwardly to provide a [54] E ES space to accommodatethejoint parts. The lower end of the 6 Chin a Dnwin n s closure plug whichfits inside of the container is provided with a 8 a plurality of sealingrings, the lowermost of which is of [52] US. Cl. 220/40, elastomericmaterial, which is pressure responsive for sealing 220/46 i contact withthe container walls. Fluid activated means is pro- [511 IIILCI- 865d41/06 1 vided for vertically actuating the cover plug with respect to[50] Field oISearch....... 220/40, 46, the container andpower means isemployed for rotating the 55(p) cover plug to lock and unlock it to thecontainer.

Patented Nov. 3, 1,970 3,537,611

Shoot or 8 FIG! INVEN'I'OR HEINZ LOHRENGEL ATTORNEY arelimitedinzhinecessarytoinsertquite com cetedtp 11CLOSUREDENICEFQR:CONEIPMNEBSzSiJMEQ-TED so Hwil -lltllmltNhLQltE SUR StCKGROUND E'IHB N EN IQN The factthntiprcssinszmethodsenrrled-euteulwuyumorainestatically. in l which the bodies QIQBMQI-OULOFJL pulyerulentstarting material areunlformlytcompretaed on all sides in a pressurechambertunderahighpressurm regulresrthe -use of well sealed receptacleaf-inwhose pressurelchamber a, fluid is.

brought'to-the required yapplied pressureglnthis connection, it

is understood inythe followingby .fluidtquite generaily the pres- .sureproducing mediummay.bearliquidpra-gas,

From the isgstatic pressure technique, high speed closures a e k O.-=Whose locki tse eeal nspo tion sc n uc ed as bayoneuclosure, so, thatapluralityt of=interrupted threads disposed-on its .gpenipher entersupon docking. into engagement. Withvd likewiseintereuptedtthreadr member,in the con tamer-wall. t I

High "spee clesuresa know in hich fot e -i s is produced byatbflltfittending--;through a iboreywhich leads throughthecontainerandthe threaded plugorstopper.

Then there are kXlOWnifllSO high speed .closures which have semicircularspirally disposed recesses en the :vessel aswell as onthe closure,and-in whieh tthe t I9 :the production of the.

force locking atli i lttlm helicalspringisintrojduced.

The disfldyantag'esofithe closure-mentionedyfirstzlic therein that onaecountofttheluniform distribution ofjthe loud n-very knee-lever ,deuiceunder.- influenee f hydraulic forces ,0!) the he ir sme ting is cmpresse an -:1 but sp ifica ion N 1',- hearsees i maybe held i su v s ev tghtabytmeans fthe kueeqleve'r arrangement and by the faet that thepaoleing ,lies in the force locking. Furthermore upon failure :ofithehydraulic system, the force locking is no longer-effective.

with a further Milt)!!! pressure container; the [upper rim flange ofthis container is equipped with rte-called tappets which are engaged ina bayonet-lock manner-by cor-responding camson the cover .(Qerman-taidout specification 'No. l ,23 l ,5'07); For the release ,oftthe ,eoyer;the latter is rotated for a half tappet eam division and then :llftedupwardly. whereby the cams slide through the intermediary spaces betweenthe tappetsDThe v palclting is setin agroove inv the rim of thecontainer. ,ln ithis'way indeed thetpacltittg is nolonger in the'flux;of-ferce of;;th e closure and :it must; howeverpbe tractio mpl ina spring, in order to lice-the, requ red. lpressure ,of the p e s sang-rinsse l ns etracting n :th anneris not equal tothe ageduired highpressures.

summer part c es curios 1 *With he sa e y c osure f eentaiuer sso di s tvention, :tlie disadyantagespfthe known .deyices-are overcome becausethereceptacle fnclusiveloftrtsinternal space has in the area of theclosure-an-increase in diameter.-lnthe internal space on theuppertendntappets projeet-in -forming one part with the inner walletthereeetttaclel which. m y. e g g t e closure stopper by meansof-correspondingly disposed cams, in'the mannergofadaayonetloekiThesealedelosure plug at the point of: theincrease in diameter 10fthe inner chamber is set back toprovldc'an lnivard-shoulder and fromthere extends for an interval downwardly. tintotthe internal chamber,so, that a cylindrical chamber is domed-which receives the packing. 'In

this manner the closure after application of the pressure in thecontainer may be slid slightly axially so that the plane surfacesof thetappets and, the cams are connected in force lock andaccordlnglythereresults a subdivision locking and the settling functions.

The high apeedclosure according to the invention is par between theforce is necessary solely for the tappets and cams. These advantagescount as compared with known high speed closures in increased measurewith :larger-closure diameters. A further advantage is imparted becauseeven with high station times a secure locking is attained. Finally, thenew closure can be produced at a very favorable cost.

The t tappet and cam ,connection may in this embodiment-rreeeivepressuresup to l0,00 ()kp/cm at temperatures up to ZSO Q'Thepaking or seal isfrontally subjected to the internahpressuretofthe-vessel,and-the sealing effect increases with increasing internal pressure. Theclosure is particularly adapted toanautomaticactuation, because for thesealing and lockingvof the container no expenditure of force and time isrequired.

According to a,further object of the invention, there is secured on theshoulder of the closure plug an elastic supportingring made of umetn'lof high resistance. on which are disposed several plastic deformablesettling rings, to which a sealing hlng-lsattached made of anelaatomerlc material, extending downwardly ,to'the lowerend of theclosure'plug. This seal vtar-packing has tbe'enfound particularlyadapted to the :high pressures. The plastic deformable sealing ringsform an intermediarymemberbetween the sealing and the force transferringfunctionsiiifhe assembly isreeeived with pressure by .meanseftheelastlcsupporting ring which is of metal of high resistance and is disposed onthe shoulder of the closure plug osstppper.

lnordertoloclttthe entire sealing device in the desired position, inaccordance with the invention it is further provided that on the bottomsurface of the closure plug, a ring is f secu red with a rimjflangedirected upwardly, whereby the rim gflange projects int'oja groove orchannel of the sealing ring made=df1elaSlQmeric material and locks andpretensions the sealingring.

For the simple and purposeful manipulation of the safety c'losure,-inaccordance-with the invention, a fluid actuated liftingor'hoistingcylinder is provided fixed on a retractable arm ,fonraisingandlowering the closure plug. With larger units, the lifting ,cylindcrmay also be mounted on a slidable carriage. After the goods to becompressed have been filled into an elastic moldnnd hydraulic fluid hasbeen introduced into the a receptacle, the closure fixed on the arm isswung over the opening of the-receptacle and hydraulically lowered.After being lowered, and indeed at the same time with hydraulic force,the closure plug ,is rotated'a half tappet and cam portion,thehydraulieflsystem is released and the receptacle is accordinglysecurely-closed, or sealed.

As was found .further, the closure plug may have a centrally largerrecess, and this has the advantage that the work space vof thereceptacle is enlarged up to 40 percent. Furthermore, there .is attainedthereby a more favorable course of the flow .of*force. Finally,-inaccordance with the invention, a bearing ring made out of a selflubricating material may be provided on the inner surface of the conicalexpansion or enlargement of the receptacle wall.

'BRlEFjDESCR-iPTlON OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a verticals'ection of areceptacle and plug according ,to the'invention;

H6. 2 is a .tdp-pertlpentiveview of the closure plug with themanipulating device,thc-plug being shown lifted and swung laterally; andt P16. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the receptacle andclosure plug showing in detail the tappet and cam lock and packings.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION The sectionaldrawing according to FIG. 1 shows a receptacle 2, in which a plug 1 isinserted andlocked. The closure plug 1 has a central elongate recess orchamber 3, which at the upper end has a central bore 4 of smallerdiameter for the ventilation or pressure release. By means of the recess3, the work space of the receptacle is enlarged up to 40 percent.Furthermore, there is attained thereby a more favorable course of theflow force. The upper part of the closure plug 1 carries a conicalexpansion or enlargement 5 and an upper attachment flange 6. Formed onthe peripheral'surface of the plug 1 is an annular row of cams 7, whichhave at the top a flat or smooth plane surface 8. The plug consists ofsteel and is forged out of one piece of blank material.

The receptacle 2 is likewise of steel, and forms with its cylindricalwall and its bottom wall 12 a pressure chamber 14. It is dimensioned forpressures up to 10,000 kp/cm and more and is forged from a single block.ln'order to receive the closure plug the receptacle 2 is conicallyexpanded and the upper part 11 thereof is cylindrical. In the inner wallof the cylindrical part 11 are seated an annular row of tappets 13,which cooperate with the cams 7 in establishing a bayonet closure. Theconstruction of the inner wall of the part 11 of the receptacle, thewall of the closure plug 1 as well as the tappets 13 and earns 7 is suchthat the tappets l3 lie with their lower flat surfaces on the flatsurfaces 8 of the cams 7 and in addition that there remains a slight gapbetween the parts on the closure plug 1 and the parts on the receptacle2. At the lower end and on the outside of the closure plug 1 is ashouldered recess 9 for receiving a packing 10.

The manipulating installation of the device is shown in FIG. 2. Thereceptacle 2 is inserted in a base or floor 19, of which FIG. 2 shows afragment,.and in which appear the upper cylindrical portion andthetappets 13. On the floor 19 is fixed a post 20, on which an arm 21 ispivotally mounted. The arm 21 carries a hydraulic cylinder 22, in whichmoves a piston (not shown) on whose piston rod is suspended the closureplug 1. The closure plug is suitably connected through a spacer 24 withthe hydraulic piston. The entire installation is manipulatedhydraulically, for which purpose a series of pipe conduits 23 areprovided. Above the closure plug 1 is disposed a gear segment or section25. When in lowered position the plug 1 is rotated for a half tappet andcam section by a gear (not 'shown) engaging the gear segment 25. A guideand stop member 26 fixes the rotational movement of the locking andunlocking operation.

FIG. 3 shows on a larger scale the tappet and cam device and thepacking. On the shoulder 9 of the closure plug 1 lies an elasticsupporting ring 35 made of a metal of high resistance. It is carried outin such manner, that it is fitted with minimum play in the existingwalls. From top to bottom there lie on this packing or sealing ring 35,two supporting rings 36 made of a plastic deformable material. Below therings 36 is a packing 37 of elastomeric material.

The pressure in the interior space of the receptacle acts both on theclosure plug 1 itself as well as on the seal or packing. The forcetaking effect on the closure plug 1 is absorbed in force locking throughcams 7 and tappets 13 by the wall of the receptacle. In this flow offorce lies no packing or seal. The packing or seal itself is subject atthe same time to the internal pressure of the receptacle, which supportsthe packing 37 formed of elastomeric material against the two rings 36.The wedge shaped part of the elastomeric material 37 is pressed by meansof liquid pressure with its lips against the inner wall of thereceptacle and the outer wall of the plug A ventilation or pressurerelease bore 41 leads from the pressure chamber 14 to the outside to ascrew coupled part 43, to which is connected a ventilation or pressurerelease pipe 42 by means of a pressure member 44 metallicaily sealed tothe receptacle 2.

Iclaim: 1. A safety closure for cylindrical containers subjected to highinternal pressures comprising:

a cylindrical container closed at its lower end and open at its upperend and having a pressure chamber; a cylindrical enlargement at theupper portion of said container; a circular row of inwardly projectingrigid tappets on the inner wall of said enlargement on the upper portionthereof; a cylindrical closure plug having a flanged head to abutagainst the upper end of said enlargement; a tubular extension on saidhead to project inside of said container for engagement at the lower endthereof with the walls of said pressure chamber;

said extension providing a chamber opening into said pressure chamberfor enlarging the area of the latter;

a circular row of rigid cams on the outer wall ofsaid closure plug atthe lower end portion whereby upon turning of said plug said cams aredisposed beneath said tappets respectively for releasably securing saidclosure plug to said container;

at shouldered cylindrical recess at the lower end of said closure plugfacing the wall of said pressure chamber; and

packing means in said recess providing a seal between the lower end ofsaid closure plug and said pressure chamber.

2. A safety closure for cylindrical containers as claimed in claim 1, inwhich said packing means comprises an elastic metallic supporting ringabutting the shoulder of said recess, deformable plastic sealing ringsadjacent said metallic supporting ring, and an elastomeric sealing ringdisposed below said plastic rings.

3. A safety closure for cylindrical containers as claimed in claim 2, inwhich said elastomeric sealing ring has a wedgeshaped notch, a ringsecured to the bottom end of said closure plug and an upwardly directednose on said ring projecting into said wedge-shaped notch.

4. A safety closure for cylindrical containers as claimed in claim 1,comprising a supporting ring of self-lubricating material on the innersurface of said cylindrical enlargement for engagement by said cams.

5. A safety closure for cylindrical containers as claimed in claim 1,comprising a base apertured to receive said container, an uprightsupport on said base, an arm pivoted to said support for horizontalswinging movements, a lifting device carried by said arm and including afluid operated piston attachable to said closure plug for lowering andlifting same, and means for turning said device for locking andunlocking said closure plug relative to said container.

6. A safety closure for cylindrical containers as claimed in claim 1,comprising a base apertured to receive said container, a slidablecarriage on said base, a lifting device on said carriage including afluid-operated piston attachable to said closure plug for lowering andlifting same, and means for turning

